Chapter 172 | This Magical Girl Is a Bit Strange

Kizuna took a sip of the honey lemonade, handed the thermos back to her sister, and curled back into her coat.

She curled up like a snail retreating into its shell, leaving only her eyes and forehead exposed to the outside world.

“Whatever. She said she didn't want to anyway.”

Her voice was muffled, and Yuzuki could tell her younger sister was throwing a little tantrum.

“Do you think she doesn't want to go on stage, or does she just not want others to think she wants to go on stage?” Yuzuki asked out of nowhere as she put away the thermos, leaving Kizuna utterly bewildered.

Kizuna poked half of her face out from her coat and blinked.

Her eyelashes fluttered, and her brow furrowed into a tight little frown.

“...Is there a difference?”

“A huge difference,” Yuzuki said, raising a finger. “Not wanting to go on stage means she has no interest in the performance itself.”

She raised a second finger. “But not wanting others to think she wants to go on stage means she finds the burden of being in the spotlight too overwhelming.”

Yuzuki looked over the rows of seats, her gaze landing on the back of the figure sitting near the aisle in the third row.

“You said she kept turning you down, but where were her eyes when she did? Was she looking at you, or was she looking at the stage?”

Kizuna thought about it seriously. When Lightweaver said “no,” her eyes had been glued to the curtain next to the stage, as if that curtain owed her money.

“...She was looking at the curtain next to the stage.”

“Then she wants to. She's just too embarrassed to say it,” Yuzuki said in the tone of an experienced veteran. “If you ask her to go on stage directly and she refuses, what if we try another way? She wouldn't have to sing or dance—just help showcase a weapon or an ability.”

Kizuna pulled her entire face out of her coat. She ignored the chilly air hitting her skin and stared at the smile on her sister's face.

This expression was exactly the same one her sister wore whenever she was about to tease her.

“Sis, do you already have a plan?”

Yuzuki certainly had a way, and it was a way that Lightweaver wouldn't be able to refuse at all.

For today's show, Meruru's performance included an audience interaction segment.

The mini-program used to randomly select audience members was written by the agency's tech team, making it child's play to alter a specific parameter in the backend.

As long as Lightweaver was "randomly" selected, she wouldn't be able to say no.

After all, she would be chosen by the program, not volunteering of her own accord. When the time came, she wouldn't even be able to run away.

Yuzuki Asakura could already picture the scene in her head.

Lightweaver would stand in the center of the stage, squinting against the bright lights, enveloped in a warm, golden halo.

The entire audience would be clapping and cheering, waves of sound washing over her. Her usually cold face would probably show a hint of panic. Her brow would furrow slightly, her lips would be pressed into a tight line, and her face would turn bright red.

That would definitely be adorable.

“Sis... your smile is really creepy right now...”

Kizuna's voice drifted over, carrying a hint of genuine concern.

“It's nothing.” Yuzuki pulled her gaze back and adjusted her mask upward, hiding the lingering smile on her lips.

“I was just wondering if I should try to get a spot in the audience interaction later too. I heard the prize this time is a limited-edition piece of merch. Maybe I'll get lucky~”

Even though she hadn't seen her sister in two years, Kizuna still knew her well enough to recognize this behavior.

Her sister was absolutely plotting something.

“Sis, you aren't planning something weird again, are you?”

“Of course not,” Yuzuki replied quickly. “I was just thinking that the weather is lovely today—perfect for helping certain people step out of their comfort zone.”

Yuzuki fished a tiny keychain out of her small purse.

A silver-white gleam flashed between her fingers. Before Kizuna could get a clear look, her sister had already pulled her hand over and gently placed the little item in her palm.

The metal felt cool to the touch, its edges slowly warming against her skin.

“This is a sample of some new merch the agency developed. It hasn't been officially released yet. Help me give it to Lightweaver. Tell her it's a gift of appreciation for yesterday's battle.”

Yuzuki spoke casually, her tone pure and innocent. As Kizuna closed her fingers around it, Yuzuki tapped the cat's ear with her index finger. “Tell her she can hang it on her phone or use it as a keychain. It's very cute, and it suits her perfectly.”

Kizuna looked down at the silver-white cat in her palm. The cat's eyes were two star-shaped gems that glinted under the light, resembling a pair of frozen meteors.

The craftsmanship was incredibly detailed, right down to the perfect whiskers.

She felt like the cat's color scheme looked a bit familiar, but her sister had already closed her hand.

“Hurry along. If you don't go now, she might slip away.”

Clutching the keychain, Kizuna jogged back down, her sneakers making a rhythmic tapping sound on the steps.

Yuzuki watched her sister's figure disappear at the bottom of the steps before leisurely pulling out her phone and opening a simple mini-program.

On the screen was a real-time heat map of the audience stands. A tiny dot of light was sitting in the third row near the aisle, blinking quietly.

Her eyes curved into crescents.

The keychain was no ordinary piece of merch.

The magic-sensing chip inside the cat's ears and the micro-runes on its tail were parts of a custom tracker she had the agency's tech team design.

As long as Lightweaver kept it on her person, Yuzuki would be able to pinpoint her exact location in the audience stands.

I still remember what she did to me at the Association's training ground last time, hanging me up like that. I have a major score to settle!

The feeling of being bound around her wrists had long since vanished, but the humiliating memory of being rendered completely helpless was still fresh.

What goes around comes around. Today, it's Lightweaver's turn to be bound to the stage.

After all, I am Meruru. Smiling at the audience from the stage is my job. Even if she glares at me, I can just beam back at her with my most innocent smile.

Clutching the keychain in her hand, Kizuna ran back to Lightweaver.

She had run a bit too fast, so she was still panting slightly when she sat down in the empty seat next to Lightweaver, her chest rising and falling a few times before she caught her breath.

She held out the keychain and opened her palm. The silver-white cat lay in her hand, its star-shaped gem eyes aligning perfectly with Lightweaver's gaze.

“My sister told me to give this to you. She said it's a gift of appreciation for yesterday's battle. She also said it's a limited-edition sample that hasn't been officially released yet, so you can't buy it anywhere else.”

Kizuna acted like a perfect megaphone, repeating her sister's words verbatim without missing a single detail.

“Why didn't your sister give it to me herself?” Qiluo asked as she took the keychain. The silver-white cat looked rather cute under the gymnasium lights.

Qiluo flipped the cat's ear open, and a faint cold light glinted from the star-shaped gem on the inside.

“She said she didn't put on any makeup today and was too embarrassed to see anyone.” Kizuna giggled at her own words. “But honestly, I think she's just being lazy.”

“Is that so?” Qiluo turned the keychain over in her hands a few times. At a certain angle, the curve of the cat's tail was perfect for hooking onto a finger.

Kizuna secretly held her breath beside her.

Qiluo Tian Gong slipped the keychain into her pocket and thanked Kizuna.

Kizuna rested her hands on her knees. “Also, um... about going on stage. Please don't worry about what I said earlier. I was just too excited and only thought about wanting to see you up there. I didn't stop to consider that you might not like it. I'm sorry.” She tilted her head and gave Lightweaver an apologetic smile.